I LOVE MODIFIED CARS, and STOCK'S TOOOOOO, but.

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

"It takes a real man to cut up a car". But in my personal opinion, it takes a much better man to restore one.

 

 

  Or deeper pockets

 

  Ben

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

And, SOME have tunnel vision, sad.

Dale in Indy

 

 

  Yeah, Buddy, you got that right

 

  Ben

[60FlatTop]

 

The TRUTH is, and as you ALL know,  YOU DO KNOW DON'T YOU?, "It takes a real man to cut up a car".

 

This is a true story: I hear about a guy who cut the roof off his car and then welded it back on, just a little lower. What a crazy thing to do. When I cut the roof off a car it stays off.

Bernie

 

 

 

[Guest AlCapone]

Once it was realized this post was a scam it should have been removed. Simply a waste of everyone's time ! Wayne

[MrEarl]

Wayne, I totally don't understand why you consider Dales thread a scam. As I take partial responsibility for Dale starting this thread as a carry over from a discussion in the Buick Performance/Modified Forum that I started, I am very happy to defend him here. By the way, the Buick Club of America recognizes and has a growing class for Modified's and it works great for us in drawing younger members as well as older custom and hotrodder guys. It has also been known to save a few old Buick's from the crusher or sitting neglected in a garage.

 

Dale is an accomplished and highly respected artist and sculptor. it just so happens that through the years he has used metal and fiberglass in the form of an automobile as one of the media for his art. After all isn't that what all customs are centered around, art and media to express what the owner wants their automobile to look like. Yes, there are some forms of custom work that I just don't get, just as there are some forms of artistic paintings and sculpture that I certainly just don't get. But I don't go around criticizing the customs nor the art pieces. Dale is just a great ol guy who all his life has expressed himself with his cars (especially Buicks) and I for one appreciate him for that. He also has a crazy sense of humor some may not always "get". I assure you  though, he did not start this thread as a "scam", to stir the pot, to slam "purists" and appear clever at the same time, stick his thumbs in anyones eyes or change any purists way of thinking, the guy was just, like he said having a "lazy day" and wanted to express himself.  Personally I think using that US Patent office scenario was a cool as hell way of doing it.

 

I have had many wonderful email conversations with Dale and here is some of his "works of art" he has shared with me.

 

 

 

 

and here is what he had to say about it:

 

In 1979, actually start of 80, I cut the body off my new Vette and made this
custom.  I still have it, different wheels now, and 600 HP small block
sprint car engine, Doug Nash 5-speed, 3.70 gear.  At Super Chevy show it ran
11.20 at 122 MPH on street tires. I did all the work, and paint.
A fellow came up to me, and said, WHY DON'T YOU POWER SHIFT THAT CAR, YOU
COULD GET IN THE 10'S.  Well I said, with half shafts, they won't take that
jolt.  He said, OH, YES, A FRIEND DOES IT ALL THE TIME, so I did next run,
BROKE A HALF SHAFT U-JOINT.  I'm a slow learner, I guess.
 

And my favorite, a dark blue 54 Century, with light blue scallops. Says he got married in this car.

 

 

and his '57 'vette, set up for drag racing. It had scallops too.

 

 

and some of his other artwork from non automotive type media

 

 

these footballs are sculpted from one piece of wood, not separate

 

 

a church pew he did for his church

 

 

 

 

All this just to say, please... "Don't mess with my buddy Dale"

 

 

Edit) and just in case anyone wonders, I have 3 all original low mileage unmolested cars and one restored to original. No customs. Why, because in my mind, thanks to Harley and Ned Nickles '54 Buicks pretty much came from the factory customized. But if I had the years left and $$ I'd like to try and make them both roll over in their graves.

 

 

 

[Guest BillP]

I don't get the point here, Lamar. Showing a couple of pictures of modified cars, then some photos of craft-work, then instructing the reader not to "mess with" the original poster, who seems to regard other opinions as "tunnel vision". I'm with Wayne, this is a topic for another place.

[smithbrother]

Thanks MrEarl for the kind words, for sure.

 

My bride of 55 years has often told me that I kid/tease too hard, so FORGIVE me if I offended a single person. 

 

Now out to my shop to work on my 1946 Buick grill BOOMBOX.

 

Dale in Indy

[padgett]

Back when I was a fanatic, I used to take various cars to shows and offer a prize to anyone who could find all of the "wrong" things. Now I am talking cars that were common and 20-30 years old, nothing exotic but you had to know what that particular assembly plant was doing on that particular day (well, month)

 

Don't think I've ever had a "stock" car though tend to keep the original parts in a baggie. Also tend to buy cars when newish and research extensively.

 

Of course working for GM mainly in advanced engineering departments in my yout tends to color that a bit. None of those cars were stock. Is also why I stopped judging after developing a platinum class for a major. I just got tired of picking apart nice cars when I seemed to know things no-one else did (around 1970 no GM car came off the assembly line with an R-59 battery). Did find that many owners became upset when finding out their ex$pen$ive repop was rong (ever see a PF-23 oil filter with the label upside down ?).

 

Manufacturers have always been at the mercy of suppliers but the situation had to be really bad to stop the line & sometimes what was installed was not exactly what was supposed to be (funny part is collectors value mistakes when documented).

 

So I stopped after it became apparent no one really wanted 100% (what month did Packard-Electric switch from embossing to silk screening spark plug wires ?) accuracy, just a nice trophy to enhance value.

 

Playing with mine is much more fun (though the Crossie is the first car I needed to use a sawzall and die grinder on and am sure someday in the future teeth will be gnashed at the heresy). Sorry, my back comes first for me.

[Larry W]

It all boils down to this; AACA General section is basically the purest section of the site and what AACA stands for. To go to the general section and talk about modified this or that is poking at the purest or AACA values. Most people know this.Wouldn't it be fun to go Hot Rod magazine or the Hamb or a custom car show and bring up purest values??? I think not, that would just create ill feelings and stir the pot. Better to let those guys do what they want and let people who have a different perspective of the car hobby be here.

  

X2

 

The only "modifieds" I like are the ones you can't tell have been modified. Everything else has actually been muddled.

  

I would be perfectly comfortable with modifieds if only they were executed with anything close to good taste. The vast majority of them simply look clownish to me.

. I totally agree, and I'm glad that I'm not one of those "tunnel vision" guys!

[Guest]

I don't get the point here, Lamar. Showing a couple of pictures of modified cars, then some photos of craft-work, then instructing the reader not to "mess with" the original poster, who seems to regard other opinions as "tunnel vision". I'm with Wayne, this is a topic for another place.

Exactly! And, Buick section of forum has a modified and performance section, fine and that's where the original post topic post should be. Take it back there. My quote from before says it all;

AACA General section is basically the purest section of the site and what AACA stands for. To go to the general section and talk about modified this or that is poking at the purest or AACA values. Most people know this.

I think the people who want to or like modified cars should be thankful of those narrow minded people of AACA for letting other sections of the site like Buick Performance/modified section even be there at all. The General section is only one of many sites on the forum so try and be a little open minded yourselves and let the General section be a place for unaltered vehicles

[Guest AlCapone]

Once it was realized this post was a scam it should have been removed. Simply a waste of everyone's time ! Wayne

Mr. Earl With all due respect to you and Dale and no slight was ever intended as I respect you both. The purist argument is always like throwing gasoline on the fire and often creates hard feelings. Dale admitted it was not a sincere post I believe. There is no right or wrong answer as I see it. Obviously the moderators agree with the post and I can live with that. Still friends ! Wayne

[MrEarl]

 There is no right or wrong answer as I see it. Obviously the moderators agree with the post and I can live with that. Still friends ! Wayne

 

"No right or wrong answer"  says it all Wayne, thank you. Heck yea we're still friends and hopefully the same with others above who seemed to have missed my point. My point being, I don't why Dale brought this subject up here but I didn't appreciate some of the overly sensitive insinuations as to why he might have. Thus my unsolicited defense. Some people stick up for their cars, I stick up for my friends. I don't often come to the AACA General but when I do I like for folks to know I have been here.   

[Restorer32]

Exactly! And, Buick section of forum has a modified and performance section, fine and that's where the original post topic post should be. Take it back there. My quote from before says it all;

AACA General section is basically the purest section of the site and what AACA stands for. To go to the general section and talk about modified this or that is poking at the purest or AACA values. Most people know this.

I think the people who want to or like modified cars should be thankful of those narrow minded people of AACA for letting other sections of the site like Buick Performance/modified section even be there at all. The General section is only one of many sites on the forum so try and be a little open minded yourselves and let the General section be a place for unaltered vehicles

 

What he said.

[60FlatTop]

My computer is loaded with Buick biased algorithms and it knows what I look at. So I decided to investigate modified cars. Look what happened.

Bernie

 

[smithbrother]

So WHICH is the better car?, the Chevy, or the Ford? 

 

And the beat goes on, and on, and on, it will NEVER end,

 

Fun is GOOD!

 

Dale in Indy

[Guest my3buicks]

I consider myself a purist, with that said I realize there are things that can make my older cars possibly run, ride, handle better, but I choose to let them as they were designed because I enjoy the way they were designed and feel, that's what makes them unique. If I wanted to update my older cars to Newark cars mechanic late then I would just buy a new car and be done with it. If someone else wants to modify their cars, that's all well and good their cars are theirs, but the same people always complain that the purists put down their vehicles but intern isn't that exactly what he has done?

[JACK M]

So WHICH is the better car?, the Chevy, or the Ford? 

 

And the beat goes on, and on, and on, it will NEVER end,

 

Fun is GOOD!

 

Dale in Indy

 

Mopar.

[Guest AlCapone]

"No right or wrong answer" says it all Wayne, thank you. Heck yea we're still friends and hopefully the same with others above who seemed to have missed my point. My point being, I don't why Dale brought this subject up here but I didn't appreciate some of the overly sensitive insinuations as to why he might have. Thus my unsolicited defense. Some people stick up for their cars, I stick up for my friends. I don't often come to the AACA General but when I do I like for folks to know I have been here.

Mr. Earl. You are indeed a fine friend and a gentleman. Dale and the site are lucky to have you.

Best regards, Wayne

Edited May 28, 2015 by AlCapone (see edit history)

[Dave@Moon]

Purist:  Quite unnecessary, Sir.  EVERYTHING THAT CAN BE INVENTED HAS BEEN INVENTED.

 

 

Having gone from a hobby to now being employed by a restoration shop that does about 50/50 correct and modified work, I think I know the proper response.

 

GENIUS:  "Ah yes, but the mistakes that can be made are infinite!"

 

I've always been more of a purist than not, but having seen some of Frankenstein works that are out there on the road made by "geniuses", it's becoming a lot more "more" than it used to be.  The number of amateur re-engineers that have inflicted themselves on some of the cars I've seen come through here lately, 2 of which I refused to drive on public roads because they were simply unsafe, are stunning.  Today if a street rod or rat rod is behind me in traffic I get more nervous than ever no matter how good the car looks, and will usually yield the road to it out of what is probably mistaken for respect.

 

Modified cars are common.  A modified car done right is a beautiful and rare site, sadly.

Edited May 28, 2015 by Dave@Moon (see edit history)

[Ed Luddy]

This topic is like poking a stick in a hornets nest around here. I prefer stock. Not concours, but real stock. No factory ever wet sanded and clear coated chassis or frame. That seems very acceptable now, not custom.

But Custom (or Kustom) cars have a place among car people. No need to be snobby about your personal preference, if it dont turn your crank, ignore and move on is how I have learned to look at it.

 Yesterday I went to see a 40 year old Laguna S-3 still owned by the guy who bought it new and maintained it at Chevrolet dealers since. Fully documented, very well kept. I realize it holds no weight around here, but this thing is so original I had to have it.

 Well what's beeen going thru my mind is take the orig. cat. converter and single exhaust off and change to duals, low restriction modern cats. Next is aluminum intake, better cam, maybe lower it an inch in the front, change out the factory Rallye wheels for a set of modern 16' lighter wheels. So is it blasphemy, or doesn't matter because its a "Malaise Era"GM psuedo or  post-muscle car?

[MrEarl]

Another moderator determined that this should be moved here from the AACA General forum. It is my feeling that continued posting by both AACA and BCA groups will only create unnecessary dissension and discord between us and serves no more good purpose. Therefore I am closing it.